As one of the top Miami truck accident injury law firms, we need to understand accident reconstruction. Sometimes we hire our own experts to reconstruct the crash for us and then testify at trial Most times, however, law enforcement reconstructs the accident as a vital component of their investigation. We can use the law enforcement investigation as part of our case against the truck driver and truck company. We work very hard to digest the science behind the conclusions in the report and convey the concepts in a way that works best for the case.

Accident reconstructionists agree that every accident is made up of similar events. Each event provides valuable data which needs to be closely analyzed. Every step in the analysis leads to a conclusion. Faulty data and incorrect presumptions can give rise to an erroneous conclusion. Care must be taken by the crash reconstruction to accurately record the data and use the appropriate equations to make findings and draw conclusions.

An accident has three components to it: the pre-crash, crash, and post-crash. Reconstructions can begin their analysis–but do not necessarily have to– at the point of “the first possible perception.” That is the point in time before the crash that a driver may be able to observe a dangerous condition, such as an 18-wheeler whose trailer seems to be out of control. The next point is the actual perception of danger by the driver. The first two events can but do not always occur at the same time. The next point in the timeline of events relates to the point where the crash is inevitable. The relationship between the point of no return and the point of first possible perception helps resolve the question of whether the accident could have been avoided.

The crash analysis then progresses to focus on the operator’s actions. The point of operator action focuses on what the driver did at a given time in the sequence of events. The analyst is concerned with whether the driver took some action to avoid a collision such as braking or corrective steering. One burning question in the case will be the amount of time that passed from when the operator perceived danger to the time it took for the operator to take evasive action. This point is critical in accidents involving drivers who are operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The next two events in the chain are the point of impact and final resting position. The reconstructionist must determine the point of impact. This location plays a critical role in reconstructing an accident. For example, the point of impact aids the analyst in determining whether the driver was properly in their lane or not. The final resting position, working back toward the point of impact help reconstructionists figure out at what angle the cars struck each other.

Accident reconstructionists look for information left behind on the road to help with their analysis. They look for skidding, which indicates pre-crash braking and yaw marks, which suggests that the vehicle is moving rapidly side-to-side. Reconstructionists may be able to figure out the speed of the truck based on the length of the skid marks and the yaw marks. This analysis depends on the weight of the vehicle. Additionally, accident reconstructionists are adept at analyzing the data contained in event data recorders. Event data recorders are the “black boxes” for vehicles. Information such as speed, acceleration, deceleration, and application of brakes can be ascertained from analyzing the event data recorder.

The attorneys at Greenberg, Stone, and & Urbano have over 130 years of combined legal experience at your service. Let South Florida’s Top law firm – as voted by the Miami Herald – Greenberg, Stone, & Urbano, represent you or your loved one for injuries or wrongful death caused by a trucking company’s negligence. They know Florida law and how to use it to their advantage. Call the South Florida truck crash attorneys at Greenberg, Stone, & Urbano – an AV-rated firm by Martindale-Hubbell – today at (888) 499-9700 or (305) 595-2400 to schedule your free consultation.

Greenberg, Stone & Urbano

11440 N Kendall Dr, #400

Miami, FL33176

Phone: (888) 499-9700 Local: (305) 595-2400

Naples Office

999 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, #200

Naples, FL34108

Phone: (888) 499-9700Local: (239) 325-5100

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